Alma 36

A Father’s Counsel

My son, listen to my words. I promise you this: if you keep God’s commandments, you’ll thrive in this land.

I want you to do what I’ve done—remember the captivity of our ancestors. They were enslaved, and no one could free them except the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And he did rescue them from their troubles. Now, Helaman, my son, you’re still young, so please listen to me and learn. I know this for certain: whoever puts their trust in God will be supported through their trials and troubles, and will be lifted up in the end.

Don’t think I know this from my own wisdom—not from anything earthly, but from the Spirit. Not from human understanding, but from God. If I hadn’t been born of God, I wouldn’t know these things. But God, through his holy angel, revealed them to me—not because I deserved it.

The Angel’s Warning

I was traveling with the sons of Mosiah, trying to destroy God’s church. But God sent his holy angel to stop us on the road. The angel spoke with a voice like thunder. The whole earth shook beneath us, and we all collapsed to the ground. The fear of the Lord overwhelmed us. But the voice said to me, 'Get up.' So I stood and faced the angel. He said to me, 'If you want to destroy yourself, keep trying to destroy God’s church.'

I fell to the ground. For three days and three nights, I couldn’t open my mouth or move my body. The angel said more things that my companions heard, but I didn’t. When I heard the words, 'If you want to destroy yourself, stop trying to destroy God’s church,' such terror and shock hit me that I collapsed. I heard nothing else.

Three Days of Torment

I was racked with endless torment. My soul was torn apart and tortured by all my sins. I remembered every sin and wrong I’d done, and for them I was tormented with the pains of hell. I saw how I’d rebelled against God and hadn’t kept his holy commandments. I’d murdered many of his children—or rather, led them to destruction. My wrongs were so great that just the thought of standing before God filled my soul with unspeakable horror. I thought to myself, 'I wish I could be banished and wiped out completely—body and soul—so I wouldn’t have to stand before God and be judged for what I’ve done.'

For three days and three nights I was racked with the pains of a damned soul.

A Desperate Prayer

While I was being tortured like this, haunted by the memory of my many sins, I suddenly remembered something. I’d heard my father prophesy to the people about the coming of Jesus Christ, a Son of God, who would atone for the sins of the world. As my mind grabbed hold of this thought, I cried out in my heart: 'O Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me—trapped in bitter poison and wrapped in the everlasting chains of death.'

The moment I thought this, I couldn’t remember my pain anymore. I wasn’t haunted by the memory of my sins anymore. And oh, what joy! What brilliant light I saw! My soul was filled with joy as intense as my pain had been. I tell you, my son, nothing could be as sharp and bitter as my pain was. And on the other hand, nothing could be as sharp and sweet as my joy. I saw—just like our ancestor Lehi saw—God sitting on his throne, surrounded by countless angels singing and praising him. My soul longed to be there.

A Life Transformed

Then my body got its strength back. I stood up and told the people I’d been born of God. From that moment until now, I’ve worked without stopping to bring people to repentance—to help them taste the incredible joy I tasted, so they too could be born of God and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

And now, my son, the Lord gives me tremendous joy from the fruit of my work. Because of the word he’s given me, many have been born of God. They’ve tasted what I tasted and seen what I’ve seen. So they know these things just as I know them—and the knowledge I have comes from God.

God’s Faithful Deliverance

I’ve been sustained through trials and troubles of every kind. God has rescued me from prison, from chains, and from death. I put my trust in him, and he’ll keep rescuing me.

I know he’ll raise me up in the end to live with him in glory. I’ll praise him forever. He brought our ancestors out of Egypt and swallowed up the Egyptians in the Red Sea. He led them by his power into the promised land. He’s delivered them from slavery and captivity again and again. He brought our ancestors out of Jerusalem, and by his everlasting power has rescued them from slavery and captivity over and over, right up to today. I’ve always remembered their captivity, and you should remember it too, just as I have.

But listen, my son, there’s more. You need to know what I know: if you keep God’s commandments, you’ll thrive in this land. And you also need to know this: if you don’t keep his commandments, you’ll be cut off from his presence. This is according to his word.